Custom 24 Review

Paul Reed Smith is an evil man. For years his sole purpose in life has been to make ridiculously awesome guitars that few of us can afford. One of his more tempting guitars has always been the flagship Custom 24, and they keep getting better and better.

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
imthaman, on may 06, 2005 7 of 8 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 2449

Purchased from: East Coast Music Mall

Features: 2004, made in the usa, 24 frets, fat/thin neck, rosewood fretboard, body is made of mahogany, the finish is flamed 10 top, controls are volume, tone and 5-way tone selector that u have to spin. Pickups are HFS (hot fat screams), tuners are locking and I believe are PRS. It came with strings, solid case, tremelo bar and polish. // 8

Sound: The thing sounds amazing. I would say it's more of a classic rock style guitar. WIth a turn of the 5 way selector you can go from a Strat to a Les Paul. I'm runing it through a Crate V5112 50 watt tube amp. The sound is excellent when clean and distorted. It's got a good AC/DC sound. But I can get the pinch harmonics out of it as well like Dime or Zakk. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I have not changed anything from the factory set up. It plays beautifully. I put a heavier set of strings on it but thats just personal preference. The guitar came with no flaws whatsoever. perfect. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar changes colour understage lights. The hardware seems excellent. The tuners have locks on them that are different then what you would see with a floyd rose. The strap buttons are good. I have had no problems with it and I gig with it regularly. I love the finish but if it wears off I think it adds character like SRVS #1. // 10

Overall Impression: I play classic rock, metal and blues. This guitar is not much of a metal guitar but for anything else I would recomend it. I've been playing for about 5 years now. I own an Epiphone Les Paul, a Dimebag Washburn, Epiphone Explorer, Silvertone and Epiphone acoustic. If it were stolen or lost it would take me a long time to save up this amout of money again. I love the way it plays. 24 frets are not necessary but I was being greedy. The bird inlays are so nice. This guitar really sounds as beautiful as it looks. I wish I could get more of a metal sound out of it but thats what I have my dime for. I would recomend it if you can afford it. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
UG Team, on november 04, 2011 5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Features:
There are some notable new features added to the Custom 24 line, and all the old good ones are still around. The much ballyhooed V12 finish is probably the main attraction. Paul Reed Smith put together a team of chemists to work on creating a finish that would enhance the natural characteristics of quality woods, but address some of the problems people had with nitrocellulose, etc... 12 YEARS AGO! That's right, PRS has their own chemist division and they've been working on this for over a decade. We'll talk a little bit more on this in the "Sound" section of the article, but it's safe to say that these guys have outperformed Dean B. Zelinsky's chemists.
Also new to this year's models are the neck shapes. This one happens to have "pattern thin neck shape", which was meant to feel like "home" from the second it's picked up. It's the product of Precision modern tooling and programming that's supposed to maintain a consistent playability. I find this to be an area that is, amazingly, often overlooked when choosing a guitar. Every player is different, but the pattern thin neck feels and plays great and I've heard no complaints from anyone who has tried it.
It has two 59/09 humbucking pickups and a redesigned 5-way blade switch that offers an incredible amount of versatility (see the video for the switching positions). It has the dutiful Phase III locking tuners that work with the PRS tremolo to give any Floyd Rose a run for its money. As always, the quality of the components is unmatched and it comes with a pretty standard hardshell case. I've always been a little underwhelmed by the PRS hardshell case. Don't get me wrong, it does everything a guitar case is supposed to do and this is first-class nitpicking, but they're just pretty standard compared to how amazing the guitar is. // 9

Sound: No surprises here, it's only the best-sounding mass-produced guitar on the planet. It's hard for me to talk about the sound of this guitar without coming off like a wine-taster in the Sonoma Valley, but I don't care. The V12 finish really does help the wood breath, and the articulation of the pickups is nothing short of astounding. I've never played a guitar with 5 pickup configurations where I haven't been lukewarm on at least one of the positions, but this is the exception. Everything sounds good. Jazz, rock, metal, country, blues, you name it. It has no weakness! I'm the guy who will look for excuses not to give something a 10 but I literally can't find anything to complain about. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Right out of the box it plays great. I'm a big fan of the "pattern thin neck shape" and it really does feel as if it's already been broken in. The actual setup was a little low, surprisingly, and had slight initial issues in the ol' 6th string 7-9th fret buzz zone. Nothing a slight adjustment didn't fix. They ship just like they should with a set .10 gauge strings and, for the most, part, was good to go out of the gate.
We've already talked a bit about the finish and, as with most PRS guitars, video and pictures don't do it justice. Did I mention that a team of chemists has been working on this since the last millennium? // 9

Reliability & Durability: One of the reasons you pay the premium for this guitar is the quality of the components. The knobs are smooth and the tuners are solid. Of all the PRS owners I know, none of them have ever needed to have one serviced. Durability shouldn't ever be a problem because, as any Gibson 335 owner will tell you, you'll be too paranoid about scratching or dinging it to ever take it outside the house. // 9

Overall Impression: I have a confession. There was a time in my life that I would publicly, and adamantly, hate on PRS. I could never get over the fact that for the price of 1 guitar, I could instead have an American Standard Strat, an American Standard Tele, AND a Vox Ac30. It seemed absolutely incredulous to spend that kind of money on a guitar, throw in the fact that every PRS-owner I had met up to that point reminded me of the guy in the Diesel jeans with the fake tan and pastel-colored polo shirt that would act like your "bro" at parties while he's really just waiting for his chance to hit on your girlfriend the second your back is turned. However, upon further inspection, the guitars are priced right where they should be, the only real question is if you personally believe spending that much on a guitar is called for, but they're worth every penny. // 9

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on august 23, 2004 3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 2

Purchased from: Bizarre Guitar

Features: This is a Paul Read Smith Custom 24 with of course 24 fret rosewood fretboard. This has a Gray Black Maple Flamed 10 top. This is a standard neck with the bird inlays. The body shape is amazing the guitar looks great. I love playing it, the action is perfect. I ordered it from PRS directly and it came in its case (that is perfect for the body no other guitar will fit in it) and it was perfect out of the box. My setup has the standard HFS/Vintage pickup set with a 6 way rotary Switch, with one tone knob and one volume knob, I also have the tremelo bridge on this thing. The tuners are the special PRS locking tuners, meaning u dont hafta wind the string. you just stick it through the hole, tighten the locks (takes 2 seconds) and presto youre done.
I got this with the optional 200 dollar case and trust me the case is more than worth it it perfectly protects the guitar, and has room to store items like cords and picks. I own this guitar, a morgan monroe tempest, a Fender Stratocaster, a ESP DV-8 and a Martin Acoustic and this is definately my favorite guitar for looks, versatility (I play blues and metal with it and you can play jazz or whatever of course) it is the perfect guitar, I play it through my Marshall half stack to get that incredible high end that PRS is famous for. This guitar rocks! // 10

Sound: Like I said I play metal usually, and alot of blues also. I'm simply running this through a Marshall MG100HDFX half stack and nothing more, no effects or pedals. There is no feedback at all simple a clean clear sound that is perfect it sounds amazing, its got a rich and full sound with alot of high end. 50 percent of the time I'm tuned to Drop C and it still sounds perfect for that kind of music to. The sounds this guitar can make are limitless because of its highend, whammy bar and the harmonic sounds on it. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I still play it factory setup immediately out of the box. I bought this guitar just 2 weeks after it was built and it hadnt left the factory when I bought it so I'm the only person whos played it. The strings are at the perfect height, the pickups were perfect, at 2 different levels so you dont get feedback but still close enough so it dosent look stupid or make ure pick hit 1 of them. The top was amazing on it, the bridge was your standard trem system (combination of a Fender style bridge with a ESP style whammy). The guitar had absolutely no flaws whatsoever. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Everything on this guitar is perfect, I play the live scene all the time with this and I've never broken a string on it, not just live but period. It can withstand the beating. The finish is solid as hell and will hold up since it has a clear coat binding protecting it. I depend on this guitar all the time and would walk into a gig with just this and my amp and rely on it to measure up. // 10

Overall Impression: The only guitars I can compare them to are, neckwise a Gibson Explorer somewhat due to the thiness of that neck, or an ESP Viper. I love everything about this guitar it is perfect. If it were stolen yes id buy another, maybe 2 or 3. I love the amazing tones I get from this guitar, I love the look of it, and I love the feel of it. Buy this guitar. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on august 30, 2004 2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 4756.17

Purchased from: Guitar, amp and keyboard centre

Features: This model is a 2002 PRS Custom 24 made in the USA. The model I have is a 24 fret wide/thin neck in a beutiful purple. This model is a standard finger board with with moon inlays. It is also fitted with the PRS trem and locking tuners that can handle any tuning that I want to play. The pickups area also the standard for the Custom 24 with a five way dial pickup selector that really opens the styles you can play with. The case that comes with the guitar is great and is equally well made and hugs the guitar so that no breakages can occur. // 10

Sound: For the style of music I play this guitar is amazing. As a nu metal guitarist, I need a guitar that has great clean sounds as well as great distorted sounds and I have to say that this guitar beats my Gibson Les Paul Studio hands down. Plugging into a Mesa/Boogie Single Rectifier the two are absolute harmony together and well worth the money that I have paid. If I want I can play softer classics, bluesy numbers or turn it all up and go full thrash. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: All you can say is awesome. The action is perfect its so good that a year on from buying the guitar I haven't altered the set up on the guitar despite detuning for my sound. The finish is amazing no flaws, nothing. The instrument has been cared for exceptionally well and is a credit to PRS. // 10

Reliability & Durability: To put things bluntly, this really is the most prefect guitar ever. With a guitar like this you don't need a backup. It is the guitar that I will gig with for decades to come. The guitar is solid there isn't anything that can go wrong with quality like this. // 10

Overall Impression: For a guitarist with four and a half years experiance who play nu metal this guitar is great, a prefect match. If its good enough for Wes Borland then its certainly good enough for me. I play with a Gibson Les Paul Studio, Epiphone Flying V and a cheap 7 string guitar and the PRS can beat the lot on tone, feel, everything. If it were stolen it would be replaced and if not I may just get another anyway. My advice to any guitarist is do what I did, get a loan, go to your local PRS dealer and get a PRS Custom 24. You wont regret it. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
hendrix1194, on september 28, 2005 2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Features: This is one awsome guitar, the inlays are abalone birds which look stunning on the grey/black finish. It stays in tune all the time I rarely tune it, the whammy bar is great to use with consistency of staying in tune. The pickups are perfect, I can get any sound out of them. I paid a lot for this thing and I also got a free case. // 10

Sound: The sound is absolutly perfect for everything I play. I play anything from Led Zepplin to RHCP to Megadeth and it plays them all well, the tone variety was more than I expected. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything was set up great from the factory and it would have wanted to be for a 4500 dollar guitar. There were no flaws at all, it was perfect and still in tune when I got it. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This will withstand live playing for sure, strap buttons are fine, hardware, finish etc are all perfec, I can depend on it for sure. // 10

Overall Impression: This is by far one of the most best guitars I have ever owned and played. When I tried one out at the store I was blown away by the feel of the neck, the sound and how well it stayed in tune. It can basically play any style you want, it can have a great acoustic sound, then fiddle with the EQ and you can get an awesome Metallica sound out of it. I payed quiet a lot for it, but I have been looking for a decent guitar for years, and then I found the Custom 24. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on june 22, 2007 1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Features: yesterday I finally purchased a PRS guitar. I ended up getting a 2006 CU24 20th anniversary with the birds in flight inlays. The guitar has 24 frets and the regular neck carve. The body and neck are Mahogany and the body has a flamed maple top. The top is Blue Matteo and the back is a clear finish. The guitar has the 5 way rotary selector and the PRS trem with the locking tuners. It also has the HFS and Vintage pickups with one volume and a tone. included with the guitar was a hard case filled with the usual goodies (sticker/manual/keys/etc.) The fret board is a nice smooth rosewood with beautifully inlayed birds in flight. // 9

Sound: I play a lot of metal, rock and alternative music and I was looking something with a killer tone with a good distortion but also that could produce something beautiful and clean. This guitar handles both very easily. I am playing through a Line 6 Flextone 3 and it just sings. Upon getting home I sat down for a few hours and played through my favorite songs, it just made every song sound so much better. The sound is clear and crisp with a beautiful warm full tone that is better then anythign I have ever played before, and I've played almost everything. With the Rotary knob, you can produce some truly beautiful and unique sounds. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar was Brand New in box direct from the factory, but it had been in the box for a few months being a late 2006 model. Steve's set it up quickly (10 minutes) and for free for me. Everything was perfectly adjusted, better then some luthiers have adjusted some of my previous guitars. The top is beautifully figured and is pretty close to being a 10top, I was surprised it was not marked as a 10. The guitar has no build flaws that I can see so far, but it is a PRS so you expect perfection and they deliver. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar as most PRSs seems to be a completly solid build. Everything on this guitar feels solid. Despite the beautiful looks, this thing is a solid guitar that will last you a lifetime, as long as you take care of it. I would be confident to go play a gig and only bring my PRS. The finish seems to be nice and durable, but time will tell. // 10

Overall Impression: As I said, I play a lot of Metal/Rock/Alternative and this guitar makes all my music sound better. I have been playing for about 13 years now and I have seen a lot of guitars come and go and always had a longing for a PRS. I've played multiple gibsons, fenders and I always got bored of the sound they would produce or the playability after a few months. I sold a Jackson RR1 and a Gibson SG Voodoo to buy this PRS. I do not regret it at all! If it was lost or stolen, I'd definatly replace it with another CU24. The pros of this guitar, are of course the amazing sound, the looks and the playability. The only thing I'm not too fond of is the rotary knob. It produces some great unique sounds, but it's not very practical. For example If I want to switch from the neck humbucker to the bridge, I have to go from one end of the knob to the last clicking into each position in between. It also is hard to turn when you've been playign for a while and your hands are a bit sweaty. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on february 06, 2009 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 1959

Purchased from: out-of-business sale

Features: I just likely got the deal of a lifetime. A music store's closing allowed me to buy a Brand New 2008 PRS Custom 24 Amber Violin Quilt Ten Top w/ lifetime warranty for less than 2K. For the unknowing, the Custom 24 is the heart of the PRS line and has 24 frets (w/ birdies) on a rosewood neck, a PRS HFS (hot, fat, screams)pup at the bridge and the PRS Vintage Bass pup at the neck. It selects between the 2 pups w/ a 5-ways rotary Switch which allows for many tonal options. It came with the PRS OHSC, whammy bridge, and all of the case candy. // 10

Sound: The tone is superb. I recently bought a Mesa Nomad 55 212 on the "bay" and, with the HFS used in the humbucking selection, it sounds very much like my Gibson LP Standard's Duncan JB (SH4)at the bridge. Great crunch (via Bad Monkey and a touch of delay). My style is decidely classic rock and this guitar fits than venue very well. I also played it through my Fender Twin and it sang very well through it also. Rich and punchy without a hint sounding "brittle" // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The craftsmanship of the guitar is everything that PRS is noted for:flawless. Everything is "tight" meaning there are no loose pots, jacks, or other hardware issues. The chrome hardware has no signs of finish wear. The wide/thin neck (wide top to bottom, thin front to back)is very comfortable to play. I don't like the factory set-up. My other axes (Gibson LP's, SG, and Fender Strat - American made all the way) have much better action but in examining the PRS closely, it looks as though the bridge is set a little high. Easy enough fix. Hey, I had to tweak my other guitars as well! // 10

Reliability & Durability: PRS has built a solid reputation. I imagine this guitar, as other quality U.S. instruments made by Gibson or Fender, will provide a lifetime of expression. I plan on adding strap locks. At a M.A.P price of $3200.00, they are an ounce of prevention that bring a pound of cure. Gig w/o a backup? I don't gig with 1 guitar. It's not that the PRS might fail; it's that strings do. // 10

Overall Impression: As I said earlier, for classic rockers like myself, this is a great axe. It is certainly more tonally versatile than it's contemporaries and it's quality is outstanding. If it were stolen, I would probably replace it. I say this hesistantly because these are so pricey. Had I not gotten a super deal, I wouldn't have bought it at this time. I do resent subjective judgments such as "This will smoke an LP" or "Who needs a Strat?" I enjoy my Strat for the voice it has. I love the voice and feel of my LP Standard, and SG Supreme is the best sounding & playing axe I own. But, my LP is my favorite axe; that's just me. The point is this: my PRS is an additional voice, not a one size fits all replacement choir - and it's a great voice. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
speedinc, on february 20, 2009 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 2300

Purchased from: Isoldit on Ebay

Features: She's a 2005 Whale Blue Custom 24 10 Top with Trem. It comes with a 20th anniversary truss rod cover (it's not a 20th anniversary model, but all Customs made that year have "20th" on the truss cover). It has the "Standard" neck carve which is slightly thicker than the wide thin at the nut, but is about as thin as the Wide/thin at the body. The neck isn't the one I originally wanted, but it fit's my hands like a dream! it's got a Whale Blue Flame Maple top and a "natural" color maple binding. The Flame is incredible! The maple flames come from the center of the guitar down towards the lower outside edge of the guitar in a "chevron" pattern. It has to be the best looking Guitar I've ever seen! It has shaller low mass, locking tuners, which makes it very easy to restring and stays in tune just as well as my 2000 Gibson Les Paul does. The PRS Tremolo is awesome. I've had Gibson's stoptails, Ibanez with the Floyd Rose, and Fenders,,, but the PRS is by far the best bridge I've ever owned! It has it ability to trem up or down, and stays in tune perfectly every time, plus it is easy to change to alternate tunings without having to get out your Tool kit, like with the Floyd Rose. The Pick ups are HFS Treble (bridge)and Vintage Bass(neck) which are of PRS design. They sound awesome! It came with all hang hags, tools, trem arm, and a beautiful leather hard shell case! // 10

Sound: In one word... Amazing! It has a 5 way rotary pick up selector. You can really get any sound out of this PRS! From Searing leads, Modern Rock, Classic Rock, to county, even bluegrass. There are videos that show Paul Smith himself completely changing the tone with out using the amp on youtube, and in person the amount of sound and the availability, and range to tones is quite simply awesome. I've wanted one of these fine guitars for over 10 years now, but now that I have one, I love it even more than I thought I would! I is the best sounding guitar for ANY style of music I've ever played! Some of my other guitars include a Gibson Les Paul Gothic, a Fender American Strat, Alvarez acoustic and Taylor acoustic, and I've owned in the past a Gibson LP Standard, and several Ibanez's. But none of them even come close to the range, depth, and quality of tone I get from my PRS! it's even quieter than any others (even in overdrive on my mesa Triple recto)when it's not being played! If you've never tried a PRS, Your missing out on the guitar of a lifetime! // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: it's got nice low action, and I've got her set up with 10's, but it feels like 9's.Perfect Bookmatched top! Perfect fit and finish. Not a scratch on it! The finish shines like glass! The neck plays like a stick of butter! Even compared to my Gibsons the quality in a PRS is unrivaled! // 10

Reliability & Durability: Well I don't want to scratch the finish, because it's so expensive! But all the parts are of highes quality, and I have confidence that the guitar will hold up through the years, with normal care. it's a guitar and it's meant to be played. I just don't intend to throw it across the stage or anything. But like I said, the quality of this instrument is incredible! // 10

Overall Impression: it's been my dream guitar for over 10 years, and I finally have one! I can't say enough good things about PRS! I've owned a variety of guitars and play a variety of music, and in every category it is simply the best in my opinion! I can't even imagine why anyone would want another electric guitar after playing this one! It is one of my most prized possessions, and have to encourage everyone else to buy one! Basically it's the guitar of my dreams! // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
quiditty3, on september 03, 2009 1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 3800

Purchased from: Musicians Friend (Online)

Features: 2009 '10' Top, Violin Amber Sunburst, Strap locks, Hard-Shell case, typical case candy. Locking tuners, two pups, with 3 knobs: Volume, Tone, and 5 way selector to move between pup combinations. The finish on any PRS is usually stunning, but; the '10' tops just take it to another level. The finish is stunning... Truly beautiful. This guitar looks better to me than the Gibson Les Paul Custom Shop (Wine Red) that I owned previously. // 10

Sound: I play everything except for metal. Classic rock, blues, jazz, country. I am currently using this guitar through a Traynor 50w tube head, and a Traynor 4 speaker cab. I have not used any external effects/pedals with this guitar outside of what is onboard with the Amp. This guitar suit's everything I play... I was surprised by the tonal variety, much more than I expected. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I have not changed the factory set up. Something has to be said for PRS. Their quality control surpasses even Gibson and Fender. I have had issues with 'new' Gibson/Fenders (poor workmanship, finish, etc.,.). I have owned two PRS guitars, this one and a 513. They have both been flawless, and play perfectly right out of the box. These are truly beautiful guitars to look at. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This is a dependable guitar, and it has withstood live playing. Everything seems solid, and I am not worried about technical or mechanical failures. The strap locks work great, and with the ease of string changing (PRS locking tuners), I can change strings in seconds... So; no need for a stage back-up. // 10

Overall Impression: As previously stated, I play everything except for metal. I have been playing for close to 30 years, and in that time have owned/traded most major brands of guitars and amps. I currently have the two PRS (Custom 24, and 513) electric guitars, a Martin D42 Acoustic, Traynor tube head and cab, Goodsell 33 Mk. II all tube (hand wired) amp, and a Traynor Acoustic PA for vocals and and Acoustic guitar. I have owned many top of the line guitars, and they were all good for what they did, but this one seems to do it all. I would replace this immediately if lost or stolen. The only thing I am having issues with (and it's just a comfort thing) is the five position knob. I think a selector switch would have been faster/better (like on the Custom 22). However; I know I will get used to this, so it's not an issue. Go buy this guitar, it will not dissapoint, and gives you much more bang for the buck than a custom shop Fender or Gibson. // 10

Sound: The guitar suits my playing styles very well. The guitar is extremely versatile, and is like taking the best of Gibson and Fender and combining them into one bada-s guitar. I play a lot of blues, classic rock, and some of today's metal (namely and especially Opeth, whose guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt inspired me to buy the guitar). Right now I'm using the guitar with a Roland Cube 60, with no effects save those integrated into the amplifier.
At first I thought there was a slight buzz that concerned me, but it turns out that my cable had a slight short in it. After replacing the cable there is little to no buzz on both clean and distortion settings.
I really dig trying it out on heavy distortion, and I played some of Opeth's heavier stuff when I first got it. It's got a fantastic tone to it, but you'll be shocked when you switch it over to clean. What you think kicks ass on distortion kicks that much more on a clean setting; with the help of my amplifier I was able to make it sound damned near close to an acoustic guitar, or by placing the pickup selector in the middle position and turning up the reverb I got a great "Little Wing" sound.
The tone knob is very sensitive, definitely the most out of any sound - and each of the 5 pickup selector positions offers a distinctly different sound. I still haven't found all of the combinations on it, but if there exists a musical sound out there, I'm sure there's a way to emulate it using this guitar. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: Everything about this guitar was properly set up from the get-go. The guitar even came with a little piece of cardboard that specified who made the final adjustments on the guitar, what gauge strings they used and when they were placed on the guitar, and finished off with a signature to signify it passed inspection. There were no flaws that I noticed. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar can definitely withstand live playing; I've played it and I've seen many others play it life and strum the hell out of it. With the price you're paying for one, you can expect the best quality. The hardware is sturdy, the strap buttons are solid, and even the tone and volume knobs feel high-quality. I can depend on it; I'd use it at a gig without a backup. The guitar also has a nice finish that doesn't thin or easily wear off. // 10

Overall Impression: I've been playing guitar for 6 years, and I honestly haven't touched a better guitar than this one. I've used a nice Gibson Les Paul before and I think that this guitar beats it on both tone and especially weight; anybody who has ever used a Les Paul knows how heavy those things get after playing them for a while. The PRS Custom 24 is thinner than even a Fender Stratocaster, and even as thin as it is, it's still extremely durable and sturdy. The guitar was a great upgrade from my previous guitar, an Ibanez S770PB. If the guitar was stolen or lost, I would buy another - but not for a while, as the guitar is very expensive and I can't readily summon up another 3 grand.
Favorite features:
- Great tone
- Very light; easy to carry
Least favorite feature:
- Cost.
Honestly, with the money you put down, the ONLY con is the cost. Every penny of your money is invested in the quality of this guitar, so you won't expect disappointment in any area but your wallet. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
Junnage, on august 13, 2010 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Price paid: $ 2532

Purchased from: Mandolin Bros

Features: Made in 2010 in the United States of America. This 24 fret guitar with the PRS Wide/Thin neck profile Mahogany neck with a rosewood fretboard and a Mahogany Body with a Flamed Maple "10" Top in Charcoal Black is absolutely amazing. Feature-wise, it's got the Standard volume and tone knobs that are recessed in the guitar so they don't get in the way playing. It is equipped with the Standard PRS Custom 24 HFS (bridge) and Vintage Bass (neck) pickups controlled by a three way Switch with a coil tap that is activated by the push/pull tone knob. The locking tuners are fantastic and the case that came with the guitar is superb (with a very plush, velvety interior, if I might add)! // 10

Sound: I play a lot of different types of music, but I usually play a lot of metal, especially of the djenty progressive or deathcore type (Periphery, Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris, Dream Theater, Animals as Leaders). Traditionally, this guitar is considered to be a rock guitar, but it can do metal just as well as any other of the more traditional metal/shredder type of guitars. But don't get me wrong: it can do so much more than just rock and metal. In fact, I was surprised at the wealth of tones that I could achieve with this guitar. If you roll off the tone slightly to take off some of bridge pickup's edge and adjust the volume knob, you can get a really nice clean tone with a little bit of edge that is really good for a bluesy kind of tone, or if you turn the tone down (to taste) on the neck pickup, you can actually get a really nice...well Joe Pass kind of tone (a pleasant surprise for a Pass listener like me!). I've been using this guitar into a couple different amps and have used it sometimes with a Boss DD-6 and an Ibanez Jemini pedal and it sounds very nice. The pickup selector is actually very quiet and you don't get any of those annoying clicks that you might get with other guitars. Even acoustically, the guitar sounds very nice, and to me, that's an indicator that the guitar, plugged in, is also good. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar's factory set-up was surprisingly really good and the action was basically perfect for me. The pickups were adjusted very well and are at the ideal height for me! The flamed 10 top on this guitar is amazing. I haven't dealt much with bookmatching and stuff like so I can't tell you if it's properly bookmatched, but it looks amazing. And if it looks amazing, it's probably because it is. When I got this guitar, it was FLAWLESS. The quality and attention to detail that must have been taken in making this guitar shows. Every fret is filed perfectly, the burst was welldone, no loose screws, no scratches, no oxidizing, nothing loose, etc. This guitar, in terms of action, fit and finish is perfection. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This guitar would most definitely withstand live playing. Just by holding this, I can tell that it's a very solid piece of equipment, so even if I were very clumsy, it would survive for a very long time. The hardware feels and seems to be top-notch quality in terms of durability. The strap buttons are VERY solid and in fact are also quite big (to the point where I can't get my current strap to fit on them). I can definitely depend on this guitar and I would feel safe gigging without a backup with this guitar (partly because I don't have a backup guitar). The finish, as mentioned before, is perfection. // 10

Overall Impression: I've been playing for 7 years now (2-3 years seriously). In the past, I've owned and played a Gibson Les Paul and this completely blows that one out of the water. If it was stolen/lost, I would hunt that poor soul down...ruthlessly and violently. I love basically everything about it and I haven't found anything I hate yet. I guess the only thing I may not love about it is the hell is a little bit chunkier to the rest of the neck, but you get used to it. In trying to buy a new guitar, I was stuck between this and an Ernie Ball Music Man BFR John Petrucci Signature model. I chose this one because the PRS neck just felt a little bit better in my hands and if I was going to be dropping over $2,500 on a guitar, I would prefer if it were not a bolt-on neck, no matter how good it may be. Looking back, I can clearly see that I made the right decision. I can only imagine how much more epic it would sound with a piezo system and perhaps different pickups. // 10

Custom 24
Reviewed by:
scottb630, on may 05, 2011 0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Features: I have a 1992 and a 2006 Custom 24. Both with 10 tops, Bird inlays. I've switched the 5-way rotary knob to a 3-way & Push Pull pot (on the 2006, personal preference). PRS Locking Tuners, Hard Shell case. One thing I really love about PRS guitars; it's "off the shelf and to a gig" no tweaking required. PRS's stay in tune, the necks are usually dead on (setup wise), pickup heights are properly adjusted, Frets are level (and no overhang off the fingerboard). // 10

Sound: Everyone has their own sound or desired sound. While I love the Vintage Bass pickup, I'm not a big fan of any ceramic pickup(s) (including the HFS Bridge (again a personal preference)). I've used the Dragon II's or Santana's in my Custom 24's for that reason. While some guys will love the cut through of the stock pickups, I prefer a more Vintage tone.
I believe Mesa Boogie's and PRS's were made for each other (like a Tele or Strat & twin are). I have also used my PRS's through a MesaBoogie Rect-o-verb, Mesa Boogie Nomad 100 a Vox AC100CPH, Marshall JCM 900, Fender Twin (Silver Face) and a Fender ProTube Series Twin. All have their own sound, and all very useable. I can get great humbucker sounds or a hint or single coil "quack" when split.
If you are a metal player, this is certainly a guitar to consider, as MANY pros use this specific guitar. I like it's versatility, Since I play Classic Rock, Southern Rock, Blues and Jazz, I find the Custom 24 will fit any of these genera very well. // 10

Action, Fit & Finish: I describe Fit, Finish and Action in the 1st paragraph. I should state that I prefer the Wide/Fat neck or the Standard neck (of my 2006). My 1992 is a Wide/Thin neck (good for lead, hard after a few hours of barre chords if you have a large hand). As far as quality of components; wood, pickups, tuners, etc, If you know PRS guitars at all, you know it's nothing but the best wood, hardware etc. // 10

Reliability & Durability: My first PRS Custom 24 = 1992 - 2011 almost 19 years and other than an occasional checkup (action, neck bow, intonation), I haven't had to do a thing to this guitar except keep it clean, change the strings and play it. The 2006, 5 years, same thing. I use Schaller Strap Locks on all my guitars (as soon as I buy a guitar, that's the 1st thing I change). // 10

Overall Impression: I've been playing for 39 years (wow?!) I've owned a lot of guitars over those years. I have to say PRS guitars are my first choice 85% of the time. The other 15% I use a Strat or Les Paul just because of their unique tones. Only thing I wish (which PRS did for a couple years) is; allow you to pick your favorite pickups at purchase time. I'm a big fan of the 57/08's or 59/09's, but I'm a Vintage sound guy. The SC245 and McCarty's are also Vintage sounding plus a little.
My only complaint is the cost of PRS replacement parts (I haven't had to change any of my own, but I have worked on other musician's gear). If you can afford one of these works of art, by all means a TOP choice among many pros. Although some PRS guitars are so nice looking you hate to take them into a bar to play. Dollar for dollar, I think PRS makes some of the best guitars on the market. // 10

I purchased a Custom 24 and I am totally blown away on its versatillity. It comes out tof the case in near perfect tuning. I went to a heavier string .011 and the transition was very easy with a simple truss adjustment. The sounds that you get are awesome only matched by the ease of playing it. I play through a Mesa DC-10 and the match is perfect. However, I might change the p/ups to a heavier tone/sound...I just don't get the punch of my Les Paul...However I own a PRS and most of my musician friend now hate me...ohh well...just get one.

Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!

bluespunkmetal wrote:
Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!

Sell a PRS for an Ibanez???!?!?! Thats like trading a Ferrari for a Grand am!!! Granted a MG is not exactly a choice amp, but keep the PRS and save up for that Mesa!

speedinc wrote:
Sell a PRS for an Ibanez???!?!?! Thats like trading a Ferrari for a Grand am!!! Granted a MG is not exactly a choice amp, but keep the PRS and save up for that Mesa!

i like ibanez.... granted theyre a hell of a lot cheaper and probably not as good for some crazy rich guitar enthusiast, but ibanez's shouldnt be compared to a grand am.... more like trading in a ferarri for a BMW at least.... give em some credit lol.

I know these gitars play and sound fantastic, but do they not seem a little soul less up close to anyone?
I know there better made ad set up, but i still think gibson les pauls have like 20 times the personality and appeal of a PRS
Please dont think im dissing PRS, but they just seem a little lifeless

Robert_Terry wrote:
I know these gitars play and sound fantastic, but do they not seem a little soul less up close to anyone?
I know there better made ad set up, but i still think gibson les pauls have like 20 times the personality and appeal of a PRS
Please dont think im dissing PRS, but they just seem a little lifeless

I have no idea what you mean when you say "lifeless" and "soul less". And that it doesn't have personality. Do you mean the looks or what?
In my opinion the PRS is one of the most beautiful guitars on earth. A piece of art.
I have a Standard 24 in platinum silver, and I see and hear nothing but beauty.
Les pauls got nothing on PRS, imo.
(and its really true. They stay in tune like forever

Robert_Terry wrote:
I know these gitars play and sound fantastic, but do they not seem a little soul less up close to anyone?
I know there better made ad set up, but i still think gibson les pauls have like 20 times the personality and appeal of a PRS
Please dont think im dissing PRS, but they just seem a little lifeless

Don't worry, I understand where you're coming from. There's a lot of guitars I've found pretty unspiring, even within the PRS lineup.

IMO, this is the real Ultimate Guitar!! Perfect in every aspect I can think. My dream is to own (at least) a pair of them. With that, I could cover almost everything I play. And well, compared with Les Pauls (I have nothing against them, I love them too, in fact), they feel and look much better. But well, that's just the opinion of a PRS-lover to death xD

bluespunkmetal wrote:
Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!

yes, sell it! sell it! sell it to me! i would love to take this crappy guitar off your hands, you don't even wanna know what my current piece of crap guitar is... oh wait, its an ibanez. lol. its a crappy cheap ibanez though, so yeah, i know, they make better ones. stupid first guitar...

hey im pretty set on buying a PRS custom 24, ive played the custom 22 (all the shop had at the time) and i was wondering how "thin" the wide thin neck really is? i dont know if the 22 had the wide thin neck or not i cant remember it did feel pretty decent

bluespunkmetal wrote:
Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!

if you have an ibanez, you will not sound anything as good as a prs through an mg!!!!

dont sell ur prs... dont get me wrong thers nothing wrong with an ibanez... i have the sa260fm and its briliant... but please!!!! buy a new amp! it is actualy criminal to play a guitar like this through an amp like that...

darkfire_storm wrote:
speedinc wrote:
Sell a PRS for an Ibanez???!?!?! Thats like trading a Ferrari for a Grand am!!! Granted a MG is not exactly a choice amp, but keep the PRS and save up for that Mesa!
i like ibanez.... granted theyre a hell of a lot cheaper and probably not as good for some crazy rich guitar enthusiast, but ibanez's shouldnt be compared to a grand am.... more like trading in a ferarri for a BMW at least.... give em some credit lol.

I'll give you the fact that Ibanez play like a cheap PRS, But PRS are sooooo much better than Ibanez (imo). I started on Ibanez and would still own one as a back up or a beater guitar.
But I'd still have to say PRS is Lamborghini, and Ibanez is a G8. The Lambo is better in every way, but you don't want to scratch it!

Nightfyre wrote:
bluespunkmetal wrote:
Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!
yes, sell it! sell it! sell it to me! i would love to take this crappy guitar off your hands, you don't even wanna know what my current piece of crap guitar is... oh wait, its an ibanez. lol. its a crappy cheap ibanez though, so yeah, i know, they make better ones. stupid first guitar...

Hey! I'm with you, buddy. Ibanez GAX 70. My guitar. It's not bad, but man! After playing this PRS, it's like nothing else is even a guitar anymore!! ugh, i need moneys. and what's this i read about "soulless?" have you ever actually played one of these? this thing practically connects souls with you to make amazing sounds come from four fingertips with no effort! it's like you become one in a state of guitar nirvana, and all you can do is scream amazing music! "soulless" you say? this guitar has enough soul to be a person.

I'd love a PRS, but I'd be so worried about chipping or damaging it I'd be shitting myself every time i remove it from the case....
I've got an ibanez, they're great guitars and you don't have to worry about ****ing the paint job up!

i got this guitar this week, beforehand i had a ibanez destroyer. ibanez was good but this is literally a masterpiece.
i got it in gray black so as to match mikael akerfeldt of Opeth's guitar
honestly the best guitar ive ever held in my hands

I played a PRS Custom 24 at the local music store yesterday through an Orange Thunderverb 200 amp. I have to say it sounded absolutely amazing and felt very smooth to play. I could achieve almost any sound from brilliant clean to a powerful crunchy overdrive. The guitar really shines when playing a melodic lead (think David Gilmore style solos), it has a unique voice of it's own. I found the Custom 24 truely inspirational and in my opinion it had more character than any guitar I've played around the same price range.

buy one and in a week you will realize that you own one of the best guitars ever made. MKy les paul standard is getting lonely from neglect, but that is how good this guitar plays and sounds. unbelievabe

Put a deposit down on a sapphire burst Custom 24. 4 and a half grand... Everything in Western Australia is expensive. This is cheap actually if you look at the ratio of simple items like beer which is over 10 bucks a pint over here. haha.

Haven't played one but I had the privilege of Mikael from opeth show me just how awesome they are last month .
I wouldn't mind trying one of them out(or buying) but that price tag..... New amp first I think, you can only go so far with a Vyper 60 tube in terms of tone regardless of how many upgrades/mods you do to it .

bluespunkmetal wrote:
Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!

Mesa Rectifier amps are shit, even the MG is probably better sounding, Rectifiers have a shitty scooped and fizzy sound, sound like absolute shit. The Mark IV and V however, are amazing.

PRS makes some top notch guitars but I can't really say they're my cup of tea. That finish is just kind of a turnoff for me, I'm not a flame maple guy and it just kind of screams furniture. Then again, when you pick one up and play it, I'm sure it screams guitar. I like the pickup configurations, but the sound coming from that Blues Jr. wasn't really to die for. And I could swear I heard some fret buzz.
Anyways, seem like high quality guitars for the people who can afford them.

For all those wondering why PRS are so expensive; MASS PRODUCED DOES NOT MEAN MACHINE MADE. Every PRS is HANDMADE FROM START TO FINISH. Lots of care goes into these guitars, they've got one hell of a reputation to uphold and they do so VERY well.

Basti95 wrote:
pailoong wrote:
I can't bring myself to buy one of these just because of that over-rated douche from Creed. I really need to get over that and try one out.
Think of all the underrated bros like Ler from Primus

soo expensive, i saved for ages to buy my custom 24. sooo very worth it. amazing guitar. i was looking for a critical review on the sound but they all gave them 10, for good reason. absolutely the best guitar i've ever played.

uvq wrote:
bluespunkmetal wrote:
Dude, someone up there plugged a PRS into an MG Stack ?? Are you nuts, what a waster of money ??
An awesomely frickin cool PRS won't even show half of its tonal fineese when your playin it through an MG !!!
Sell your PRS, buy a good Ibanez, and a Mesa Dual/Single Recto, you won't regret it !!!
Or, buy a tube amp today !!!
if you have an ibanez, you will not sound anything as good as a prs through an mg!!!!

Ibanez make some real rubbish on all the ones I've owned for under a grand. They're just a total waste of money. If you want to spend money where it counts by a Cort. They're unbeatable. I own a PRS Custom 24 20th anniversary and a Cort M600. Also a Gibson ES339 but my point is I've owned a lot of guitars and I don't like crap. Ibanez make utter crap.

I've got a Warmoth custom Strat, a Les Paul and now a PRS standard. Here's what I know. The PRS has an awesome neck and plays like a dream but understand this, it is not a replacement for the others. It's an addition. There are times I want my Strat sound. No pickup combination on my PRS will give me that. Same like my les Paul. It has it's sound unique to it. To the ibanez haters here, you should try a JEM7 then tell me they suck.

Hey I have tons of PRS guitars I'm willing to sell brand new, I have customs and Prs SE Customs! Great deals I promise serious buyers only, I promise to have the best prices around I shit world wide! I also have thousands of other guitars!

I had always admired these guitars. I would frequent guitar shops that stock them, just so I can play them. When the SE models came out, I purchased a Single Cut as they had somewhat of an arched top like their expensive cousins. After saving for a while, I finally purchased one. A blue Custom 24. It was beyond all of my expectations. The approachability of the guitar was somewhat similar to the SE. However, in every other aspect, it simply eclipses my SE Singlecut. I'm so glad that I got it